QSK mod completed, tuner added
Shack updates were completed yesterday with the modification of my AL80B to allow QSK operation and with the arrival of a Palstar tuner.
Celebrating diversity with QRP & QRO
The results of the mod are great although its implementation has room for improvement. I wrote up a few “points of uncertainty” that I had while performing it in case others are similarly inclined to add QSK to their AL80B. I uploaded that info as a Page (located here) rather than a post.
The balun switching scenario I recently blog-pondered won’t be necessary – with a 1:1 balun, the Palstar (built like a tank, BTW) tunes all bands 10-80 with all the authority of a Navy Seal DI.
Next up is a 40-meter vertical dipole for November’s CQWW.
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Themocracy
Very nice additions to the shack and very nice pictures of the amp,tuner and as always the K3.
Tnx Mike – still in G-land?
Hi John, nice shack. I like the big Palstar, got one myself. They are doing a fine job, the only issue I got is that the lettering is coming off. So, by now I can’t see in what position the antennaswitch is. 73, Bas
Wow, sorry to hear that, Bas. If you ever get to Houston you can borrow my label maker!
John, even though it will be a while before I acquire an amp, I just wanted to say a word of thanks for posting such helpful information like this. It seems incredulous that so many of these amps can be in service, surely many using the same QSK add-in, and yet such uncertainties still exist in the manual. Not something you’d want to make a costly mistake on. Please keep up up to date on how it works for you.
I think the vast majority of people order the amp with the QSK board installed. I started to do that myself until I heard there was a 2-month wait.
Maybe I should charge Ameritron’s labor price ($100) for the installation and promise a 7-10 day turnaround…